cbs4.com - Robber Could Have Caused Birthday Boy's Death

Carla was born in St. Kitts but grew up in the Virgin Islands.

Oct 16, 2006 7:57 pm US/Eastern


cbs4.com - Robber Could Have Caused Birthday Boy's Death

Relatives believe robbery may be the motive
Carla Queeley And Her Son Were Killed

Carey Codd
Reporting

(CBS4 News) NORTHEAST MIAMI-DADE Two victims, hurt in Saturday’s brutal murder of a young mother and her son at a birthday party in North Miami-Dade, have been released from the hospital, all while a community and police try to figure out why the crime occurred in the first place.

Sisters Ann Maynard, 31, a Miami-Dade Corrections Department nurse and Shantara Maynard, 24, a bartender, were released Monday morning. Shantara’s 7-year-old daughter, Shantaria Kearse and 4-year-old son, Tony Chester, remain hospitalized at Jackson Memorial Hospital. They are the survivors of Saturday’s shooting which grieving family members speculate might have been motivated by robbery.

Carla Queeley, 34, a nurse was killed along with her son, Shaquon Watson, who was celebrating his 7th birthday with a Spiderman theme party. Monday, grief counselors were out at the boy's school, Lakeview Elementary, to provide emotional needed help for grieving students.

The school principal says the loss was felt by many at the school.

"It's devastating when you hear that one of your students, who you deal with on a day-in, day-out, has gone through such a catastrophe," said Principal Jeffrey Hernandez.

Relatives say that only minutes after breaking in to the home located at 20517 NE 9 Place, the gunmen demanded Queeley, who was decorating the home for her son’s birthday party, to call the owners of the house so she could show them where the money was kept. Gunfire broke out soon afterward, they said.

It's unclear whether money or valuables were taken.

Party guests arrived after 3 p.m. to find the home surrounded by yellow police tape.

Official information about the Saturday afternoon assault has been hard to come by; police made no statements Sunday and had little to say after the attack. They also have not released any type of description of the suspects. Detectives describe the case as an "ongoing, sensitive criminal investigation."

Sandry Bowers lives across the street from the home where the attack took place, and said she heard a knock at the door Saturday When she opened it, she found Ann Maynard drenched in blood.

“And the blood came in, and then she said, ‘Hurry, he’s coming’” she recalled. “And I just closed it back because, I mean, if somebody’s going to come he could come in here as well and shoot me and my grand-daughter too.”

Bowers said Maynard owns the home, and was hosting the birthday party. She was told by a relative what apparently happened in the home.

“She said they just walked up and shot the little boy in the head, and they were just walking around and shooting everybody, just shooting them with no reason,” Bowers said. “That’s what she said.”

Residents of the neighborhood say they have no idea why the home was targeted, and are upset they have heard nothing from police investigating the attack.

"It's sad, you know, because they are so innocent and wholesome and were shot and killed," said Livingston Queeley, whose sister died in the attack.

"It's devious," said Dehana. "They don't have anything else to do but go out and kill a 7 year old child and an innocent lady? She's not doing nobody nothing."

Family members have started planning funeral arrangements for the dead, even as they anxiously watch over those being treated for gunshot wounds.
The person or people responsible for the attack remain at large.

Anyone with information can call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.


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